Chelsea appoint Mauricio Pochettino as new manager

Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the new manager of Chelsea from the start of the 2023-24 season after weeks of speculation.

The Argentine will assume his new role on July 1, 2023, signing a two-year contract with the option for an additional year. 

The 51-year-old manager had been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last year and replaces interim boss Frank Lampard, who led Chelsea to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League.

On April 2, Chelsea made the decision to dismiss Graham Potter and initiated a thorough process to find a suitable replacement. In the meantime, Frank Lampard was brought in as a temporary manager.

In a released statement, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: 

"Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward.  

"He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate."

During his time at PSG, Pochettino won the Ligue 1 title in his first full season, which was accompanied by high-profile signings such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma or Achraf Hakimi.

Despite this success, PSG's elimination from the Champions League by Real Madrid in the round of 16 played a significant role in Pochettino's departure from the French capital.

In England, Pochettino is well-known for his tenure at Tottenham, where he led the club to the Champions League final in 2019 and the League Cup final in 2015, and was always a strong contender for the Premier League title.

Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new head coach!

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2023